This cover image released by Simon & Schuster shows "Queen Esther" by John Irving. (Simon & Schuster via AP)
Renowned author John Irving is set to revisit the world of The Cider House Rules in his upcoming novel, Queen Esther. Scheduled for release on November 4 by Simon & Schuster, the book will bring back Dr. Wilbur Larch, a key character from his 1985 bestseller. However, the story introduces an entirely new cast and spans decades, offering a fresh narrative within a familiar setting.
The novel follows Esther Nacht, a Viennese Jew born in 1905. Abandoned at the age of four, she is later taken in by a New England family as a teenager. Her journey unfolds across the 20th century, concluding in Jerusalem in 1981. While Queen Esther was conceptualized long before recent events in Israel, Irving acknowledges that his observations from the early 1980s provide a historical lens on the unfolding realities of today.
At 82, Irving remains a literary force, known for classics such as The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampshire, and A Prayer for Owen Meany. His novel The Cider House Rules gained widespread acclaim, leading to an Oscar-winning film adaptation in 1999. Irving himself received an Academy Award for the screenplay, while Michael Caine won Best Supporting Actor for portraying Dr. Larch.
Simon & Schuster CEO and Irving’s editor, Jonathan Karp, praised the novel, emphasizing the author’s ability to push creative boundaries even in his eighth decade. He described Queen Esther as a work that takes readers to new, uncharted territory within Irving’s storytelling universe.
With its deep historical narrative and emotional depth, Queen Esther promises to be a compelling addition to Irving’s body of work, blending history, fiction, and the timeless themes of identity and belonging.
